Buckle.



G. c. DIGKSON & A. c. MQPARLAND.

' BUCKLE. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 1, 1906.

Patented Dec. s, 1908.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIc GEORGE O. DIOKSON AND ALFRED G. MCFARLAND, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Application filed October 1, 1906. Serial No. 336,960.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE O. DIOKSON and ALFRED O. MOFARLAND, citizens of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Buckle, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of buckles which avoids the use of a pin-tongue and perforations in the strap, but holds the strap by gripping it between the frame, and a movable clamp, so constructed that added strain on the strap increases the gripping action of the clamp while a slight pull on the free end of the strap releases it. Further we provide a lever portion to the clamp whereby slight pressure by the thumb of the operator readily releases the strap.

The objects of our invention are to provide a buckle of this character of simple and durable construction and effective in operation.

Our invention consists in certain details in the construction, arrangement and combina tion of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in our claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of a device embodying our invention, showing also in section a strap attached to the buckle at one end and secured at another point. Fig. 2 is a top view of the device with the strap broken away. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the body portion of our device, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the clamp of a buckle embodying our invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, we have used the numeral 10 to designate the back of the buckle frame to which is attached the two sides 11, which are also joined by the cross bars 12 and 13, s aced substantially as shown in Fig. 3. In a dition, the sides 11 are joined by the cross rod 14, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The clamp, shown in Fig. 4,'consists of a bottom portion 15, with one edge 16 notched and curved downwardly slightly. Attached to the bottom portion 15 are the sides 17, and the extension 18, which serves as a handle for the ready manipulation of the clamp. The parts are assembled by 1placing the clamp, shown in Fig. 4, within t e frame, shown in Fig. 3, the clamp being ivoted upon the connecting rod 19, which a so passes through the sides 11. About the rod 19 is laced a coiled spring 20 designed to normal y maintain the clamp at its downward limit of movement against the back 10 of the frame.

In the practical use of our device, one end of a strap 21 is suitably secured to the cross bar 12. By pressing upon the handle 18 of the clamp, shown in Fig. 4, this part of the buckle is raised, allowing the other end of the strap 21 to bepassed below the connecting rod 14, and through the space between it and the back 10 of the frame. The clamp is then allowed to fall, thus bringing its notched edge 16 in engagement with the strap which is thus firmly gripped between the notched edge, and the connecting rod 14. The end of .the strap may be conveniently inserted beneath the cross bar 13 if desired.

To release the strap, the free end may be pulled slightly to raise the clamp, shown in Fig. 4, or the handle 18 may be pressed by the thumb. In the latter case, the loosening movement of the strap may be checked absolutely at any desired point by releasing the pressure on the clamp, thus making the device especially desirable for use by letter carriers as the adjustment may be effected by using one hand, leaving the other hand free to handle the mail.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor is The combination in a buckle, of a frame comprising a back, a cross rod disposed in front of said back, and parallel sides disposed at right angles to the back and cross rod, a clamp comprising a bottom portion, a toothed portion at the forward end thereof, and sides disposed at right angles to the bottom portion and between and adjacent to the sides of the frame; the said bottom portion of the clamp being arranged to bear on the back of the frame when the toothed of the clamp is adjacent to the forwar crossrod of the frame, a transverse rod pivotally connecting the sides of the clamp with the sides of the frame, and a spring mounted on said transverse rod and yieldingly holding the bottom of the clamp against the back of the frame.

GEORGE C. DICKSON. ALFRED C. MOFARLAND.

Witnesses:

W. H. ARNOLD, W. A. ABBOTT.

ortion 

